Yesterday I was lucky enough to win a pair of tickets to Chambers of Horror, a haunted house behind the Masquerade in downtown Atlanta. I took my friend Coco along as my companion since she’s my perennial haunted house partner.
Being a Tuesday night, it wasn’t crowded at all. Still, before venturing into the torture-themed haunt, we stopped for a drink at the bar located right outside the entrance. We figured we’d need it.
Chambers of Horror is 18 and up only, and yes, they check ID before letting you in. It’s obvious within the first two minutes why it’s adults-only. We were insulted and harassed by our charming “host” and saw depictions of torture that you won’t see at any other haunted attraction. As usual, the visit was a mixture of screaming and laughing for me. Coco screamed so loud when our host threatened her with a chainsaw that the staff outside the building could hear her. Obviously, they were quite proud of eliciting such a response.
The perks: Great effects, well thought-out back story, and superb performances and timing by the actors. It was also a lot more personal and interactive than most haunts.
The downside: At most haunts, they want you to keep moving, so we did. Afterward, we were told we should have lingered in each room to watch “the show.” I wish we had known so we could have had the complete experience. (Although, given the amount of screaming we were doing, I’m not sure we could have handled the full show!)
The verdict: Chambers of Horror is a professional, well-planned haunt, and I guarantee there is at least one thing there that will unnerve even the most hardened haunt veteran. (For me it was the chainsaw and the mannequins.) Now I want to go back, take my time and give Chambers of Horror a proper visit.
The details: Tickets range from $17 for general admission (it bumps up to $22 the final four days of October) to $45 for a VIP pass. You can buy them online or pay cash at the door. Follow Chambers of Horror on Facebook and Twitter, and keep an eye out for the Torture Tuesday ticket giveaway, which is what I won. Remember, it’s a torture-themed haunt, so keep that in mind if you get squeamish.
